PARKS AND RECREATION MAX DEEN MEMORIAL PARK

EXISTING: This view shows the new aquatics center from Floyd Street. The large, open field is lit by stadium lights, but is reportedly rarely used for recreation. The park has almost no shade, making it too sunny and hot during the summer. Turf like this, especially after periods of drought, is almost impermeable and thus is nearly as bad for stormwater management as a paved surface.

PROPOSED: This rendering shows what the conceptual plan could look like in action. Trees shade a path that surrounds a multi-use field, shown here hosting a pickup soccer game. The path encourages visitors to explore and walk, while the shade from the trees makes spending time in the park comfortable. Employees and patients from the medical facilities and the nursing home adjacent to the park could use the path for safe and recuperative exercise or enjoy a shaded lunch or break under one of the planned trees. In addition to providing shade for humans, a single oak tree can also provide habitat for up to 1,000 species of invertebrates, a crucial group for maintaining biodiversity.